Kokoro
Kokoro (Kanji: 心, Hiragana: こころ, Rōmaji: Kokoro) is a young maiko (apprentice geisha), and Ba Ji Quan martial artist in the Dead or Alive series, who made her official debut in Dead or Alive 4. A sweet and polite girl, Kokoro is the illegitimate daughter of Fame Douglas and one of his former mistresses Miyako, making Kokoro the half-sister of Helena Douglas. It is possible that if Helena were to give up her control of the Dead or Alive Tournament Executive Committee, Kokoro would be next-in-line to take control. However, it seems that Kokoro has little to no knowledge of her connection to DOATEC and the Douglas family. Appearance Compared to the other women in the series, Kokoro is a youthful, feminine young woman. She consists of black, waist-length hair worn loose with a small segment tied in a bobble up front on her left hand side. She has monochrome gray eyes, full lips, blemished cheeks, pale skin, and rounded facial features even when next to the other feminine brawlers. She is of average height and one of the smallest fighters with a petite body. In Dead or Alive: Dimensions her hair is tied back with a yellow bow, which is due to the 3DS not handling long hair physics. In contrast to the other female characters in the game, Kokoro's outfits are the most conservative and non-sexualized in the series. Two of Kokoro's outfits are pink and blue feminized versions of the Changshan, an outfit typically worn by males in China. In the Dead or Alive 4 opening, Kokoro is seen in a pink kimono (there are some cases where she is seen in a blue kimono instead). These kimono are not accessible during gameplay but the pink version of the kimono was available in Dead or Alive: Dimensions. While it appears to be a proper, decorative kimono with a red collar of a maiko and an obi sash around the waist, it is actually incorrectly dressed so the skirt is loose, allowing Kokoro to move with ease, at the same time exposing her legs. The outfit also includes okobo sandals and a type of sock known as tabi. Personality Possibly due to her up-bringing, Kokoro is well-mannered and well-spoken but also delicate and soft in nature. Similar to Kasumi, Kokoro appears to be one of the more merciful and gentle-spirited fighters; after she wins a fight, she may ask if she has gone too far with the fight and extends an apology. The only time she acts harshly in words or actions is when Brad made an advance on her and she pushed him away. Kokoro is very kindhearted and sweet to others and for a girl her age, she is very mature beyond her years. She does seem weak emotionally at times. She does indeed fight to the best of her ability but, if she loses, she calls out for her mother. This would indicate that although she is confident in her style, losing proves to be a bit too much for her. Her sheltered life and Miyako's protectiveness over her could have made it hard for her to adapt to the harsh reality of the tournament. Aside from her merciful personality and innocence, she is shown to have a short temper, especially when she feels people are rude to her. This is noted when she meets Ayane in Dimensions and when Lisa accidentally bumps into her and scolds her for not being very vigilant of her surroundings. Etymology The kanji used to spell Kokoro's name (心) means "Heart," which reflects her gentle and kind nature.